Dreaming
by To-ya
Summary: Zee's having bad dreams, and Ro comforts him--Teaser for Project Theseus.


Project Theseus Teaser

Well, this is a teaser for a longer fic to come, something I've been calling Project Theseus. In the course of this story, Zee acquires a human body. Of course, shippiness ensues, coupled with some dark-angsty themes and whatever else I feel like throwing in. I've had writer's block for said story for quite some time now, but writing this scene has me inspired again. So…anyway. This scene will probably be in Chapter 3 or 4 of the actual story, and it takes place after Zee has just recently been given a human body. Keep in mind, I may end up changing this scene when I publish the larger fic, just 'cause I tend to do that. Bottom line—please read and review, enjoy, and wait for Project Theseus! I'll get it written someday! (Actual Theseus concept developed by Gar En, just so ya know ^_^ )

Dreaming—Teaser for Project Theseus

By Faria

He could see himself, mirrored there, robotic limbs glistening in the starlight as he ran away. Himself. His other self. _True? But I'm…I'm human, aren't I? Human!_

He followed the shadowy figure, the one that should not, _could_ not exist but obviously _did,_ followed it through the dusty streets of Hillsburg to the noisy St. Louis downtown, all the way to the suburbs of California. To the lone estate that stood out on it's own, all green grass and sunset sky and spotless, spotless white walls. And he watched, transfixed, as his "other self" walked calmly up to the door, found it unlocked, walked into the endless dark abyss and seemed to pull the human man with him. _That's right! I _am_ human!_

The metallic silver form ascended the tall stairway, a dark silhouette against a darker wall. Its footfalls were loud, intruding clanks on the surrounding silence, whereas the man walked quietly, stealthily, always close but never daring to touch his counterpart.

Together, they reached the doorway at the end of the upper hall, the oh-so-familiar doorway that pulsed with a faint green light. Behind the door lay freedom, freedom from everything, an end to all this endlessness. No more running. No more hiding. No more trying to protect his dearest friend, who insisted she didn't need protection.

As one, human and synthoid turned the handle, opened the door, revealed—

Ro.

Ro, lying dead. 

Ro, lying dead, eyes wide and staring into nothingness as her blood pooled beneath her torn clothes, staining her ivory skin.

Not her. Oh, not her.

He wanted to run to her, wanted to scream, wanted, suddenly, more than anything, to kill whoever had done this to her. Wanted to _kill_ them, more than he'd ever wanted anything, more than he wanted freedom…

He would kill them. He would _destroy_ them, they were _his_, they would _suffer_, as she had, as he would, as he was now—

He had switched sides, then, he noticed with a start. Now it was the human he stared at. Yes. That was his target. That was the one who had caused Ro pain, who had killed her, and he would _destroy!_ His purpose, his life, all added up to this one moment, the elimination of his human self. _No! No, no that's not right, that's _me_, myself, I can't kill him—my humanity! Ro was my humanity, though, wasn't she? And she's gone, and I _killed_ her, and…_his convoluted line of reasoning made more sense than it should have, and he felt his arm come up, felt the hand fold down to that familiar coldness of a beam cutter sliding out, to shoot at the man—himself—to destroy, _destroy—_

The one who called himself "Zee" sat up with a start, and found himself in a dimly lit, cheaply carpeted room—the hotel he, Ro, and Bucky had checked in to earlier. He'd been sleeping—dreaming. It had only been a dream.

Still, that didn't stop him from turning his head, leaning over to look at the chair next to his bed. Ro was there. Alive—he breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest. She was alive. He raised his hand to her face, and couldn't help noticing the uncontrollable tremble of his fingers as they grazed her cheek. In response to his tentative touch, Ro gasped involuntarily, and her eyelids fluttered open.

"…Zee…?" His name was a soft breath—she wasn't fully awake yet, though she was rapidly regaining her awareness. 

"What's up? Can't sleep?" She stretched her arms over her head, yawning heavily. 

"I…had a dream. It was…it scared me." He couldn't quite keep the childish tremor out of his voice—just thinking about it made him shiver. If Ro noticed, though, she didn't comment. Her only reaction was a curious tilt of her head, a softer tone as she replied.

"Tell me about it."

He shook his head—he didn't want to relive it, not now, not ever. 

"Maybe later, Ro. I…apologize for waking you." 

"It's alright. I understand." 

"You've had dreams like that?" In an instant he forgot his own fear and pain, looking at her with concern. The thought of Ro, _his_ Ro, being that scared, that confused, that alone…

"It's nothing, Zee. Go to sleep, would you?" For once, he didn't question further. He didn't want to make her relive her dreams anymore than he wanted to relive his. 

"I'm not sure if I can. Will I have that dream again?" 

"I don't know. Maybe." He winced—he'd been hoping for a negative response.

"Probably not, Zee," the blonde girl amended. "Probably not."

"I don't want to risk it. I'll stay awake tonight." Even as he said it, a yawn escaped him, one which he tried frantically to cover. Ro smiled.

"Unlike synthoids, normal people _need_ sleep. That means you. Lay down."

"But what if—"

"Lay _down,_ Zee." She had that commanding sound to her voice again, that 'I know what's best now deal with it' tone that left no room for argument. Even as he tried to think of a protest, her hands moved to his shoulders and pushed him back down. 

"Now _try_ and relax. I'm not going to sleep until you do." She sat herself on the edge of his bed, keeping her hand on his forehead as if she thought he might escape. Zee couldn't help but notice how strange it felt, human flesh against human flesh. A relatively new sensation, but a welcome one.

"I swear, you're the little brother I never had."

"I thought that was Bucky."

"No," she shot a glance at the other bed, where the arrogant boy slept soundly, "he's the little brother I never _wanted."_

"Oh." He didn't know if it was on purpose, but her hand had moved back to run through his short black hair, smoothing down the disheveled, nightmare-induced tangles. It felt…nice. Very nice. 

Ro didn't say anything, but he thought he saw another smile play upon her lips as his eyes drifted shut. He felt his fear drain away like the ebbing of the tide, put aside by Ro's comforting presence. She continued to stroke his hair, whispering soothing words he couldn't quite make out. 

No matter what happened, he'd always have her. The dream…that couldn't be real. He'd never hurt her. He'd sooner die. Which is why he, after several minutes on the brink of unconsciousness, finally felt it safe to surrender to slumber.

~*End of Teaser


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